Youth crime - the MPA and MPS guest on Choice FM's Richard Blackwood show to hear what London thinks

30/08
12 June 2008

Cindy Butts, deputy chair of the MPA, and Commander Rod Jarman from the Met will be guests on Choice FM’s Richard Blackwood show on Sunday 15 June. Taking questions from listeners, they will discuss the problems young people face on the streets, how the police are tackling youth crime and call on communities to work together to help keep young people safe.

Speaking about the aims of the programme, Cindy Butts said:

“We want to hear what young Londoners think about how we are dealing with this issue – we will only be successful if we all work together.

“Youth crime is a problem for the whole of society, decimating lives, bereaving families and blighting our communities’ safety and wellbeing. We are extremely concerned about the number of young people in London affected by serious violence, particularly knife crime. The MPA with the Met, working with the mayor of London, are determined to tackle these horrific crimes.

“The MPA’s youth scrutiny, published at the end of May, focused on the causes, effects and impacts of young people’s involvement in crime as victims, witnesses and perpetrators and how this influences their interactions with the Met. We believe that by working closely with young people they will gain more trust in the police. This is the key to reducing the numbers of young people both as victims as well as perpetrators of crime.

“The police cannot tackle this issue alone. There must be collaborative work between police, stakeholders and other agencies across society to help bring positive benefits to communities and divert our young people away from involvement in crime.”

Commander Rod Jarman of the MPS added:

‘The MPS wants to work and engage with young people to make them safer, and make them feel safer.

‘Violent crime affects a very small number of people, but has an enormous impact on victims, their families, and the families of those involved as the perpetrators.

‘We would like to talk to young people in London to understand how we can work together to tackle the violence’.

Notes to Editors

1. Choice FM Richard Blackwood show is broadcast on Sundays between 12.00 and 3.00pm

2.The MPA Youth Scrutiny report can be found at:
www.mpa.gov.uk/downloads/issues/youth/youth-scrutiny.pdf

3. The MPA stop and search conference ‘Stop right now, thank you very much’ will be held on Saturday 21 May 2008 at the Park Plaza Riverbank Hotel, 18 Albert Embankment SE1 7TJ.

Further media information

For further information, please contact the MPA press office

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